New government drive on private rental energy efficiency

The government will this week announce a new consultation on private rental sector energy efficiency - in particular, insulation.

This will be part of a revamped net zero strategy which will be launched on Thursday when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits the UK’s oil and gas capital, Aberdeen.

The Guardian, which carried leaks of the government proposals, says the initiative is to be called Energy Security Day and will focus on measures to improve the country’s infrastructure.

The newspaper says there will be no compulsion on housebuilders to fit rooftop solar to new housing, as some have advocated.

Nor will there be a comprehensive nationwide programme for insulation of the UK’s housing stock. “Instead, the strongest insulation measure is likely to be a consultation on the private rented sector” it claims.

Green measures in the strategy will include an expansion of renewable energy, including offshore and onshore wind, plans to produce green hydrogen, and a drive to improve sales of electric vehicles and heat pumps.

There will also be bigger roles for carbon capture and storage technology plus the possible licensing of a massive new oilfield, Rosebank.

Activist group Generation Rent has already started rubbishing the government’s moves, with deputy director Dan Wilson Craw tweeting over the weekend: “This is alarming. We’ve already had a consultation on energy efficiency in the private rental sector 2.5 years ago which the government hasn’t even responded to.”

The energy efficiency issue is of critical importance to the lettings industry because the government has pledged to reduce energy consumption from buildings and industry 15 per cent by 2030, with aspirations for properties to have a minimum EPC rating of C in England and Wales by April 2025.

Under current government regulation, landlords are not expected to spend more than £3,500 on upgrades to meet the current EPC requirements for a rating of E. 

However, proposed changes could see all rental properties requiring an EPC rating of C by 2028, and a potential increase to this cap to £10,000, meaning landlords could be required to spend more to meet minimum requirements.

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